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Cost of living in Columbia, SC

Compared with New York. Change city

$2,430a month less for the typical home than in New York1,2

That's $29,163 a year, enough to cover 17 months of the mortgage in Columbia. The average commute is 11 minutes shorter each way, about 1.9 hours a week back4.

Typical home $299,763 vs $742,000. 2-bedroom rent3 $1,314 vs $1,997. See the math

By Sol Lakein.Checked October 2026.How we compare costs

Bridge over the river at Riverfront Park in Columbia, ColumbiaKevin Dunlap / Unsplash
All cities
  • College townUniversity of South Carolina
  • Beach or lakeCongaree River, formed where the Saluda and Broad rivers meet

Columbia at a glance, next to New York

5

What the median home costs each month

1,2
New York metro$4,078/mo
$742,000 typical home
Columbia$1,647/mo
$299,763 typical home

If you rent: median 2-bedroom

3
New York metro$1,997/mo
Columbia$1,314/mo
About $683 a month less in rent
Rent by apartment size in Columbia

Day-to-day costs

  • Housing costs621% cheaper than averageNew York: 49% above
  • Salary that matches $150,000 in New York6$124,813
  • Net move-ins from other US metros, 2024-257+5,818
Columbia in a paragraph

The median listed home in Columbia is $299,763 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 29% below the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $1,647 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,314 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 93.7, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $124,813 here.

Weather

9
  • 34.6°January low
  • 92.7°July high
  • 1.2 inSnow per year

Home prices next to New York

1
Typical home for sale
New York metro$742,000
Columbia$299,763
60% less, a $442,237 difference
Price per square foot
New York metro$494
Columbia$155
3.2 times the space for the money

Your New York, in Columbia

We're matching Columbia's parks, museums, arenas and food halls to their New York counterparts. Until then, see how it works for Raleigh.

See how Columbia ranks for your household

Answer a few quick questions and see how Columbia ranks against 53 other cities for your household.

See how Columbia ranks for you

Is Columbia a good place to live?

Columbia fits families who want prices 6% below the US average and homes list 29% below the US median. The main trade-off is hot summers. Here is what you gain and what you give up.

What you gain

  • Prices 6% below the US averageEveryday prices, rent included, index at 93.7 against a US average of 100.BEA regional price parities, 2024
  • Homes list 29% below the US median$299,763 median listing against $419,250 nationally.Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026
  • Mild wintersJanuary lows average 34.6°F with 1.2 inches of snow a year.NOAA 1991-2020 normals
  • Nonstop flights to New YorkFrom CAE to LGA, EWR.Airport route page, accessed November 3, 2026
Show 3 more
  • People are moving in5,818 more people moved here from other US metros than left, July 2024 to July 2025.US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025
  • University townUniversity of South CarolinaSlower Sundays city profile
  • Beach or lake accessCongaree River, formed where the Saluda and Broad rivers meetSlower Sundays city profile

What you trade

  • Hot summersJuly highs average 92.7°F.NOAA 1991-2020 normals

More on Columbia and South Carolina

Show 5 links

Columbia cost of living: questions people ask

What is the cost of living in Columbia, SC?

The median listed home in Columbia is $299,763 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 29% below the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $1,647 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,314 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 93.7, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $124,813 here.

How much would I save moving from New York to Columbia?

The median listed home is $299,763 in Columbia against $742,000 in the New York metro, 60% less. On a mortgage for each median home, that is about $2,430 a month less in principal and interest (20% down, 7.32%, Freddie Mac, October 22, 2026).

How much is rent in Columbia?

The median gross rent for a 2-bedroom in the Columbia metro is $1,314 a month, including utilities the renter pays (Census American Community Survey, 2025). In the New York metro it is $1,997, $683 more. The US median is $1,563.

What salary in Columbia matches $150,000 in New York?

$124,813. That is $150,000 adjusted by the BEA regional price parities for both metros (93.7 in Columbia, 112.6 in New York, 2024).

Does Columbia pay you to move there?

None of the relocation incentive programs we track cover Columbia as of October 2026.

What is the weather like in Columbia?

January lows average 34.6°F and July highs 92.7°F, with 1.2 inches of snow a year (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Columbia Metropolitan Airport).

Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Home prices: the typical home is the median listing price, with price per square foot, from Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. The comparison metro uses the same series and month.
  2. 2Monthly cost: Principal and interest on the median listed home with 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026). Excludes taxes, insurance and HOA. Rate source
  3. 3Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent for 2-bedroom units (rent plus utilities). Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, not only new leases. Census table
  4. 4Commute: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table S0801, mean travel time to work (one way, workers who do not work from home), 2025. Hours back assume a 5-day round trip. Census table
  5. 5At a glance: a difference within 5% counts as about the same.
  6. 6Everyday prices, housing costs and the matching salary: BEA regional price parities, 2024, US = 100.
  7. 7Net move-ins: Census Vintage 2025, via Regions Financial.
  8. 8Flights: airport route pages, October 2026.
  9. 9Weather: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Columbia Metropolitan Airport.
Sources for this page